What exactly is cancer staging? Watch this to understand what doctors say!

Many of us get scared when we hear the word cancer, don't we? It's very common. What's more, when doctors talk about the stage of cancer and use those letters and numbers like that, it makes you wonder, 'What the hell does this mean?' You've probably felt the same way. But don't worry. Today, in this article, we'll talk about what cancer staging is, how doctors determine it, and how it affects your treatment.

Why do doctors look for the possibility of cancer so much?

Imagine, when you have a fever, the doctor first checks why you have a fever and how serious it is. Sometimes, just giving a paracetamol won't help. It's the same with cancer. Cancer is a very complex disease. The way it develops and spreads is different for each person. So, a team of doctors comes together to decide on the best treatment for you. When they know the exact stage of the cancer, they can all have a clear idea of ​​your condition. It's like everyone speaking the same language.

Another thing is that cancer treatments are changing day by day. However, once the staging process is decided, it doesn't change much. Therefore, even if new treatments come out, the initial stage of your cancer is the basis for your treatment going forward.

Often, the first thing a person with cancer wants to know is, 'What's next for me? Will this be curable?' That's called prognosis . When doctors know the exact stage of the cancer, they can compare it to the experiences of patients who have had similar cancers in the past and give you some ideas.

Also, these opportunities are very important for clinical trials and research to find new cancer drugs and treatments. Some studies only use people with the same type of cancer at the same time. So if you are interested in participating in such a study, your cancer stage will determine whether you can be selected for it or not.

How is the stage of this cancer determined?

Doctors consider several key factors when determining the stage of cancer:

• The size of the tumor and how it is growing.
• Tumor location.
• Whether the cancer has spread beyond where it first started.

There are different ways to find these things. Let's see what they are.

Cancer cases: by tumor size and growth

For most types of cancer, doctors use a number system to tell them the prognosis. Simply put, it's like this:

• Stage 0 cancer: This is when there are abnormal cells, but they have not spread beyond where they started. Sometimes these are called pre-cancerous cells . Most of the time, cancer at this stage 0 can be completely cured. Think of it like a small plant still in a small pot, with no roots growing out.
• Stage I (1) (Stage I cancer): Here, the cancer is small and is in one place. It has not spread to nearby lymph nodes or other parts of the body.
• Stage II (2) (Stage II cancer): The tumor has grown slightly and may have spread to nearby lymph nodes.
• Stage III (3) (Stage III cancer): The tumor has grown larger and has invaded the surrounding tissue. It is also more likely to have spread to nearby lymph nodes.
• Stage IV (4) (Stage IV cancer): This is the most serious stage. The cancer has spread beyond the original site and has metastasized to distant parts of the body. This is also called metastatic cancer . It is like a plant growing big, and its seeds are blown by the wind and new plants are growing all over the garden.

Doctors rarely use a classification called stage V (5) . One example is Wilms tumor . This is a type of kidney cancer that occurs in young children. Stage 5 Wilms tumor means that both kidneys are affected.

What do A, B, C, and D mean in cancer cases?

Sometimes you may have seen doctors write letters like A, B, C, D along with the number. For example, your oncologist might say you have stage IIA (2A) cancer, or stage IIIB (3B) cancer. These letters add a little more detail about your condition.

Simply put, the letter A means a cancer that spreads a little more slowly (Less aggressive) . The letter D means a cancer that spreads a little faster (More aggressive) within that number . That means, an IIA cancer spreads more slowly than an IIB cancer. But an IIIA cancer spreads faster than an IIB cancer. Sounds a little confusing? You can explain this when you talk to your doctor.

Cancer cases: depending on location

Doctors also talk about the chances depending on where the cancer is:

• In situ: This is like the stage 0 cancer we talked about earlier. There are abnormal or cancerous cells, but they haven't spread.
• Localized: Cancer cells are present, but they have not spread beyond the primary tumor.
• Regional: Cancer cells have spread from the original tumor to nearby tissues, lymph nodes, or organs.
• Distant: Cancer cells have spread to other parts of the body far from the original tumor.
• Unknown: Sometimes there is not enough information to accurately tell the stage of cancer. In that case, it is called this.

TNM Staging (TNM Staging)

This TNM system is a very common method that doctors use to describe how far cancer has spread.

• T (Primary tumor): This refers to the size of the primary tumor and how far it has spread to nearby tissues.
• N (Node): This tells you whether the cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes , and if so, to what extent.
• M (Metastasis): This refers to metastasis . That is, whether the cancer has spread to other distant parts of the body.

The TNM system can be used to determine the stage of solid tumors, such as breast cancer and colon cancer. However, it is not used for blood cancers, such as leukemia or lymphoma .

For some types of cancer, doctors also use other specific staging systems. An example is the Lugano system, which is used for Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma . Another example is the FIGO system , which is used for some cancers of the female reproductive system.

You can ask your oncologist what staging system he or she uses for your cancer. This will help you gain a better understanding of your situation.

What tests are done to detect cancer?

In addition to performing a physical exam, doctors also perform several other specialized tests to determine the stage of cancer. Some of these include:

• CT scan (Computed Tomography - CT scan): This scan helps doctors find things like the early stages of cancer and the location of the tumor .
• PET scan (Positron Emission Tomography - PET scan): This test can be used to see if cancer has spread to distant parts of the body.
• Endoscopy: This involves passing a thin tube-like instrument into a hollow organ (for example, the stomach or intestines) to examine it for signs of cancer.
• Biopsy: You may have heard of this. A tissue sample is taken and examined to find out more about the cancer. This is a very important test.
• Blood tests for cancer: Sometimes, things called tumor markers in the blood can give an idea of ​​the size of the tumor or the amount of cancer in the body.

The doctor will determine the exact stage of your cancer based on the information gathered from all these tests.

Can my cancer risk change later?

This is a problem for many people. You might think that maybe if the cancer spreads, even if it gets better later, that initial situation will change. But that's not really the case.

Simply put, if you were first diagnosed with stage II (2) cancer, you will always have stage II (2) cancer. However, doctors use additional words to describe the changes in stage.

• For example, if that stage II (2) cancer later spreads to distant parts of the body, doctors would call it 'Stage II cancer with metastasis' , not stage IV (4) cancer. Got it?
• Also, if no signs of cancer can be found after treatment, it is called 'complete remission' or 'no evidence of disease' (NED) .

Living with cancer can be a very stressful experience. It's understandable to feel scared and uncertain when you see a diagnosis with letters and numbers like this. But a cancer prognosis is more than just a few letters and numbers. Doctors use these numbers to plan the best treatment for you, work with other doctors, and give you a prognosis. Your doctor is there to help you. Ask him or her any questions you have about your cancer prognosis.

So, what are the most important things we need to remember from this article? (Take-Home Message)

Okay, there are a few things you need to keep in mind from what we've talked about:

• Cancer staging is a way of measuring how far and how serious the cancer is in your body. This helps doctors choose the best treatment for you .
• Staging is determined by the size of the tumor, its location, and whether it has spread . Methods such as TNM are used for this.
• The stages are numbered 0, I, II, III, IV. The letters A, B, C, and D are sometimes added to give more details.
• This possibility is detected through tests such as CT scan, PET scan, and biopsy .
• The important thing is that the stage of cancer initially determined does not change later. If the condition changes, it is described in a different way.
• If you have any questions about this, don't be afraid to ask your doctor. He or she is the best person to explain everything to you.

Remember, cancer is a battle. To face that battle, it is very important that you are fully aware of your enemy, which is cancer. We hope this information will help you with that.

` Cancer cases, Cancer Staging, Cancer, Cancer treatment, TNM, Cancer diagnosis, Metastasis